Lavage vehicle



Patented Jan. 22, 1929.

PATENT OFFICE.

OABLE'ION ELLIS, OF KON TCLAIB, NEW JERSEY.

Lumen vnnlcnn.

no Drawingl oils from skins, hides, leather, hair, textiles, 1

and the like.

After degreasing, the vehicle and dis- 16 solved fat may be treated with water and the fat precipitated, the vehicle being concentrated by distillation. This method may be used when it is desired to free the fat or oil from substances soluble in the diluted ve- 20 hicle. In other cases, the vehicle, without dilution with water, may be directly distilled and the fats and oils recovered in the residue.

Being soluble in water, the fire hazard is substantially less than when water-insoluble extraction media such as benzineand benzol are used. Water will extin ish the flames of the extraction medium 0 the present invention, but merely serves to spread a conflagration caused by benzine or benzol.

For the extraction of fats, oils, etc. from leather, hides, textiles, and the like, these materials are heated with the vehicle, or the latter while hot is allowed to percolate through a mass of such organic materials.

A mixture of 4 parts of isopropanol to 1 part or less, by volume, of tertiary butanol,

' may be employed. The proportion of the tertiary compound may be substantially increased in some cases. In fact, a major proportion of the latter may be used in the degreasing of some fabrics. The ability of the COIDPOSltlOII to dissolve fats increases rapidly as water (normally present in isopropanol and tertiary butanol in the crude state) is removed. I prefer to employ a concentration higher than that denoted by the constant boiling point mixtures which these substances apparently form with water. Thus, isopropanol with about 9 per cent of water furnishes a constant boiling point mixture.

- The concentration preferably above 95 per Application fled December 7, 1926. Serial No. 158,219.

cent, and advantageously 98-99 per cent, is a feature of the present invention in the preferred form.

With concentrations approaching 100 per cent, the mixture will even dissolve petroleum oils, and the like, quite readily.

Hence, the composition may be used to extract materials containing various mineral oils as well as its application in the cleansing of textures impregnated with animal or vegetable fats and oils.

Ewa/mple 1.-A concentrated mixture of about 11 volumes isopropanol and 1 volume of tertiary butanol containing approximately 2 66 per cent of water is passed as a hot liquid, through a mass of crushed oil-bearing seeds, the extract treated withwater to cause fractional precipitation, the oil being selectively precipitated, leaving said extractives and 70 coloring matter in solution. After the separation of the oil, the diluted vehicle is reconcentrated.

L'i/ving Ureatwrea-The skin and seal of humans, or the skin and fur of animals likewise may be treated with the degreasing medium to remove excess oil or rancid oil and other skin irritants. For this purpose the 98-99 per cent vehicle containing usually somewhat less than 10 per cent of tertiary go butanol, (e. g., 3-7 per cent) preferably 1s use Preferably also I add to this medium a small amount of ethyl acetate. Medicinal agents and skin stimulants such as camphor, a5

oil of bay, gum benzoin, and the like, also may be present, preferably in small proportion, ordinarily not suflicient to impart to the vehicle any strong odor which would be characteristic of such added substances, e. g., '90 camphor, or oil of bay. A small, almost indistin uishable proportion of these substances, owever, serves to sweeten the odor of the vehicle. This is ofimportance in usin a vehicle derived from the olefines of stil ases (by sulphation and hydrol sis), as t ese usually contain traces of sul bar or sulphur compounds, or other su stances which tend to render the odor ,somewhat' sharp. Sulphur compounds, although beme lieved to be of curati re value in skin diseases, and therefore desirably present in some apany persistent odor of the vehicle.

plications of the present invention, nevertheless, may impart an odor to the vehicle which requires correction by the introduction of a minute proportion of an ester such as methyl or ethyl acetate, substances such as camphor or menthol, fragrant oils, such as oil of bay, lavender, Wintergreen, and the like. By avoiding the introduction of these substances in any actual ,perfuming. proportions, a vehicle of sweetenedodor, but leaving only a very slight odor on evaporation from the skin and hair, is secured.

Ewample 2.Isopropanol and tertiary butanol mixture containing about 5 per cent of the latter 3 gallons, ethyl acetate 3 fluid ounces, 15 per cent solution of camphor in some of the mixture of isopropanol and tertiary butanol 1% fluid ounces, solution of oil of bay 1 dram in 1 pint of the mixture of isopropanol and tertiary butanol fluid ounce.

Coloring agents and various curative or medicinal substances, colloidal sulphur, and the like, may be added if desired.

A desirable modification is secured by addin a White mineral oil (or even less highly re ned or crude oil) such as a medicinal grade of/ oil of the character of Nujol to the composition of Example 2. Only a small proportion needbe present.

When this oil-containing vehicle is applied to living skin as a degreasmg agent, the rancid oils and irritating secretions of the skin are removed to a considerable extent, leaving a trace of the N ujol or similar non-rancidifying oil to exert a beneficial action on the skin and scalp.

I prefer not to add any volatile hydrocarbon or other diluting, extending or modifying substance, which essentially changes the character of said vehicle, desiring in the preferred form of the invention, to employ almost pure isopropanol and tertiary butanol with merely traces of modifying a ents.

My invention thus includes a v0 atile composition of oil-dissolving strength, comprising isopropanol and tertiary butanol, with, at the most, merely traces or small proportions of modifying agents; said strength normally being greater than the constant boiling point strength, preferably .being substantially of greater strength approaching the anhydrous state, or, for example, containing not more than 1 to 3 per cent of water; the

major proportion of said vehicle preferably being isopropanol as the primary degreasing basis associated with a minor component of tertiary butanol as an accelerator and blending or absorbing agent, the composition containin in some cases, substantially indistinguisha l substances capable of sweetenin the odor of the composition, preferably wit out leasvilig u stances such" for example as camphor, al

e amounts of pleasantly odorous mcacae though normally much slower in evaporation than the main constituents of the vehicle,

medium, the scalp is Wetted with a sma quantity of this medium and then is rubbed dry with a cloth. On the latter will be found a residue of oil and other extractives.

'By using a larger proportion of the lav e mediumaa thorough drenchingof the sc p and hair results and the free liquid may be allowed to run off to a collecting vessel. The hair and scalp are then dried.

Despite the natural moisture of the skin, rancid oils are extracted eflectively in this Way as the concentrated lavage vehicle is penetrating and is not repelled by a moist surface. Being concentrated a slight dilution due to skin moisture does not nullify the oil solvent proporties of the vehicle.

What I claim is 1. A volatile lavage and degreasing composition containing' not in excess of 3 per cent of Water and consisting essentiall of isopropanol and tertiary butanol, the atter being present in minor proportion, and substantially indistinguishable amounts of pleasantly odorous substances capable of sweetening the odor of the composition, without leaving a persistent odor on evaporation of the said isopropanol and tertiary butanol.

2. A volatile lavage and degreasing composition containing not in excess of a few per cent of Water and consisting essentially of isopropanol and tertiary butanol derived from petroleum and containing a trace of sulphur compounds and of other substances of penetrating odor; said tertiary butanol being present in minor roportion, and substantially indistinguishable amounts of pleasantly odorous substances modifying the odor thereof, without leaving a persistent odor upon evaporation.

3. The process of cleaning oil containing texture bodies, which consists in applying thereto a degreasing vehicle comprising a substantially anhydrous mixture of isoproanol and tertiary butanol, and removin at east a substantial proportion of the vehicle carryingoil dissolved therein.

4. The process of cleaning oil containing texture bodies, which consists in ap per cent of the total solvent.

. Flying thereto a degreaslng vehicle comprlslng a 6. A volatile lavage composition p0 ing isopro anol, tertiary butanol and water, the alcoho s present bein greater in amount than the concentration 0 a constant boiling point mixture of the stated substances.

5 7. A lavage composition consisting of iso- Eropanol and a minor proportion of tertiary utyl alcohol, but in amount suflicient to enhance the lavage and degreasingproperties.

CARLETON ELLIS. 

